Interview: Yomar Augusto

Hi Yomar! First of all.. thanks for doing this interview! Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
Yomar Augusto
Male
32 Years old
Graphic and type designer
Rock Climber
Collector
Book Artist & Calligrapher

You have been living in The Netherlands for some years now. When and why did you decide to make the big move?
My aim was to move to England in the first place but I couldn’t make it in the end. It was much more affordable to study in The Netherlands than in England at the time, so I decided to move here to pursue my MA in Typography at KABK in The Hague between 2004 and 2005.

What are the most profound differences between Brazil and The Netherlands in design culture regarding for instance aesthetics, clients, workmethods, etc.?
Maybe improvisation against perfection.

The Netherlands has been designed by hand, even the land is non-natural, so design is part of the country’s state of mind.

It’s hard to compare, The Netherlands has been designed by hand, even the land is non-natural, so design is part of the country’s state of mind. The investment in culture is a key point as well. Here it’s obvious that the State knows the power of creativity in the over all economy. So, the mind set towards creativity as a platform to develop society is really high, that’s what I think is lacking in Brazil.

Over there, advertise rules pretty much everything, they are EMPIRES, so it is impossible to survive just working for the cultural sector, because it’s such a small market, badly paid and you still have to accept so many stupid rules that kill the pleasure.

But still, back home I think we have a great sense for image work, such as motion design, web design, advertising and photography for sure. I can name many interesting guys working there and abroad, a new generation of type designers are rising as well.

They are destroying the cities, the lack of taste and organization is so brutal that it is already beyond understanding.

What Brazil could learn from Holland in this stage? I would say Architecture. They are destroying the cities, the lack of taste and organization is so brutal that it is already beyond understanding. Brazilian architecture didn’t mature as much as graphic design did, they are following the trend of the “new-rich” leaving entire neighborhoods looking like this fake plastic miami kind of thing. I just hate it. We need to change this mind set to be able to use the cities in a better and a wiser way, I think this is where Brazil could learn from Holland a lot, trying to transform our cities in hubs for cultural trade for 34.1 million people under 25 years old.

Together with your partner Rejane Dal Bello you are the collective Re-Yo. Is it hard to have two graphic designers living under the same roof? Do you guys talk about design all the time or do you purposely ignore it?
We are together since college, 10 years already! And we discuss, research and produce design together constantly. Sometimes it’s hard but most of the time we complete each other in many aspects of the design work and production side as well.

You’ve worked at advertising agency 180 Amsterdam. How do you see design and advertising working together? Do they understand each other?
It was a great opportunity to be part of a global agency, but it’s a hard place for designers. I was doing a lot of type work as well and I must say that that part was way nicer. I’ve learned a lot inside the fast advertising environment. Things change too fast in advertising, way faster then design studios… which is interesting but weird.

Graphic designers working inside advertising agencies must learn how to “let go” of the work, because it will change, so do not attach yourself emotionally with the project because the work will change and most of the time you’re not the one changing it.

To be able to create something powerful in 2 lines is amazing, when you can achieve that

It was also a great place to learn more about concept driven projects, which was great because I suck at it. I have always been a visual and graphic guy, and to be able to create something powerful in 2 lines is amazing, when you can achieve that.

And of course I got in touch with such incredible people. No bullshit, I made real friends over there.

How did you come to know of Don’t Believe The Type?
Debora who works at Trapped in Suburbia mentioned my name. So, they picked me. Lucky me.

A calligraphic workshop sounds like a very daunting task. Can you give us a glimpse as to what you have planned for your workshop during DBTT?
27 students, it will be chaotic! But I like that.
The workshop mantra is…
1. Calligraphy is the basis for the typography work. As an art form it has almost been forgotten in today’s graphic digital environment. Designers don’t handwrite anymore, bitmaps have become more important than ink and computers are now the main tool in the creative process.

2. Kalligraphos is an experimental calligraphy workshop whose main objectives are: Taking the students away from the computer screen to explore the art of drawing letters by hand as a way to improve their technical backgrounds, help them focus their creative energy on the handmade process and stimulate a personal graphic research.

3. The program explores calligraphy and other medias such as illustration, collage, painting, photography, graphic journals (sketchbooks and altered books), all of these combined to present for each student a rich ground for intuitive exploration.

4. Hands on, gets dirty!

And on the contrary, what do you expect to learn from giving the workshop?
I always get more than I give. I’m a motivator, not an educator in that sense. I got a lot of experience as well, specially teaching in English. Next year I will be traveling with the workshop through different cities and being able to teach for 25 students is a big challenge.

What artwork that you have made lately still puts a satisfied smile on your face?
LPG LP cover, for a band from Groningen, the cover is my first approach to mixing custom type design and laser cut and I really liked the results.

This project will be part of DISCOVERART an LP cover exhibition at the Groningen Graphic design museum. The identity of this exhibition has been designed by myself and the british designer Richard Harrington.

Thanks a lot for the opportunity.